Improvement in floating-derricks



'peculiar llwrrnn @rares JAMES V. COLLINS, 0F GERGETOWN, DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT in FLoA'i-iae-Deaaicks.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. fl, dated May. 3, i864To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, JAMES V. GoLLrNs, of Georgetown, in the District ofColumbia, have invented a new and Improved Floating-Derrick; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part ofthis specification,

in which'` Figure lis a horizont-al section ot' my improvedderrick,illustrating the oats or hulls to be hereinafter described. Fig. `2 `isaplan ofthe upper bracine. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section inthe line E F, Fig. Il. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section intheline Gr H, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts' in the severalfigures.

This invention relates to a floating contrivl ance of greatstrength, andadapted by its .construction to raise sunken vessels :and othersubmerged bodies of immense weight, without the possibility ot' failure.The apparatus may also be employed for transferring ordnance or otherweighty bodies, as will be hereinafter explained.

ln order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertainsmaybe ena-V bled to fully understand and use the saine, I will proceedto describe its construction andl operation.

yIn the accompanying drawings, I J represent two hulls or `lioats whichoccupy parallel. positions and which maybe of any suitable size andcapacity.4 From each ot' these iioats rise a series of derricks orstandards, A A A, securely supported and braced at their lower ends, asshown in the drawings. The hulls I J are connected together so as tomove simultaneously and in conformity with each other by arches,.C (l,which may be either formed of wood and sirengthenedwith iron l, or .theymay be `formed entirely of iron. 'Ihese arches C (l are secured to andnear the bases ot' the derrcks A, in the manner shown, and theircurvatures are to be snilicient to allow a vessel ot' any dimensions tobe raised up between the iioats I J', the height ot the said archesbeing from forty to iii'ty i'eet, (more or less,) according vascircumstances may dictate. The arches are cach formed in twoparalh-Ldisiointed sections, C C, respectively,

nected by cross-pieces ll,

between which the tackle l maypassand by winch the same may havesteadiness imparted to 1t while the sunken vessel or other submergedbody is in course ot' elevation.

The tops of the derricks A are tied or con which may also be eitherformed of wood and strengthened with iron n, or entirely composed ofthe' latter. The derricks are securely braced by strong truss-frames I),which are counterbraced by the pieces dd. The whole are further securedtogether and Astrengthened by the rods t" m.

In the accompanying illustration ot' my iuvention, two grappling' orelevating hooks, :c x, and two sets of tackle, Z, are represented asbeing employed` in connection with each oi' the arches C C. achtackleworks overa pulley, k, secured in and near the upper ends ot' therespective derricks A through an aperture in the truss-trames D Dandfover pulleys j j', suspended from said truss-trames l), as clearlyshown in F1g.4 of the drawings.

L may represent crabs or compound windlasses for operating the tackle,to which ycrabs either hand, steam, ,or other power may be applied. Ifsteam be employed` it may be readily vsupplied from an engine orIengines located on one or both-ot' the hulls I J.

The abovedescribed contrivance 4may be built quickly 4and .at littlecost and affords a lifting mechanism whereby vessels of the greatestdimensions or weight can be elevated without diiticulty, and by meansotl tlie'hulls or iloats a vessel when elevated may be sus tained forany length ot' time or conveyed to a dock or other place of safety. Theapparatus may also be employed to advantage t'ormany other usefulpurposessuola tbrinstance, as lightening vessels over shallow places,remov ing obstructions, drawing piles, or conveying 'from place to placeordnance or other heavy bodies, which may be suspended between theh'ulls or iioats I J by the hooks rr, the crabs L being locked by anysuitable device.

The parts are so connected that the entire frame-work may be taken topieces and placed otr one er both the huilsor boats l J to facilitatetransportation.

Having thus described my invention, the ibllowing is what I claim as newtherein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent y l. In combination withthe hulls or Iioats J, the abutments A A and eonneotingerehes tackle land grappling-books l errauged C C, constructed and arrangedsubstantially' and operating substantially in themanner deas hereinshown and described. scribed.

2. The derrieks A, iu combination with the T e J truss-frames D .D andbrace-rods or ties 'L z m, TAMES @M INS the whole being' constructed andarranged in WIUGSSGS: the manner :md 'for the purpose set forth. UHAS.L. DUBOIS7 3. In combina-tion with the above parte, the; 1R. H. MAYHEW.

